Shakira releases pregnancy photos; announces ‘online baby shower’

What does the baby of the world’s most famous Latin American singer need? Nothing, apparently.

Expectant parents Shakira and soccer star Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona are inviting friends and family to join an online baby shower to benefit underprivileged children. Their own child is expected to be born early this year.

A UNICEF-hosted website invites those attending the virtual baby shower to buy gifts costing as little as $5, which can buy a mosquito net to ensure a sleeping baby stays safe from malaria — a leading cause of child deaths worldwide. Guests can spend $10 for polio vaccines to protect 17 children, or $37 for a baby scale.

“To celebrate the arrival of our first child, we hope that, in his name, other less privileged children in the world can have their basic needs covered through gifts and donations,” reads a message from the 35-year-old Colombian superstar, a goodwill ambassador for the UN children’s agency, and Pique. “Thank you for sharing this unforgettable moment with us.”

The site also features never-seen photos of the couple, taken in December.

In a black-and-white image, a shirtless, 25-year-old Pique poses with his right arm around a hugely pregnant Sharika, who wears a bikini top and hip-hugging skirt that shows off her exposed belly.

A second photograph shows the 35-year-old Colombian superstar in a white full-length gown that accentuates her expanding torso.